After a briefing in La Serena, the group toured facilities on Cerro Tololo including the Blanco 4-m telescope (right) where the Dark Energy Camera is being prepared for its installation later this year.

NOAO LSST Program Manager Victor Krabbendam describes the LSST facility as it will look when completed while the group stands on the site at Cerro Pachón. Left to right, NSF Director Dr. Subra Suresh, NOAO Deputy Director Dr. Robert Blum, and AURA President Dr. William Smith. The Gemini (right) and SOAR (left) telescopes are in the background. Click image to enlarge.

On January 9 and 10, the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Dr. Subra Suresh visited NSF optical astronomy facilities in Northern Chile. The NSF group included Dr. Ed Seidel (head of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate) and Dr. Anne-Marie Schmoltner who is a program manager in the NSF International Science and Engineering Office.

NSF delegation in front of the Victor M. Blanco 4-m telescope on Cerro Tololo. The group saw many improvements to the Blanco being made in advance of the Dark Energy Camera deployment later this year. They also saw much of the Dark Energy Camera itself which is being re-assembled now in Chile. Left to right: Dr. Anne-Marie Schmoltner (NSF Program Manager Office of International Science and Engineering), Dr. Steven Heathcote (SOAR Director), Dr. Jeffrey Pier (NSF NOAO Program Officer), Dr. Subra Suresh (NSF Director), Maxime Boccas (Gemini Associate Director for Development), Dr. Robert Blum (NOAO Deputy Director), Dr. Chris Smith (NOAO Associate Director for CTIO), Dr. Gary Schmidt (NSF Gemini Program Officer), Dr. William Smith (AURA President), Dr. Edward Seidel (NSF Assistant Director, Directorate for Math and Physical Sciences). Click image to enlarge.

The visit continued at Cerro Pachón with a walk around on the newly leveled site of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (left) ending the day with visits to SOAR and Gemini South.